John Pipher, President of the Board of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Manhattan, Kansas Territory, wrote to Isaac Goodnow, informing him that their church would not be ready for dedication until April the 8th. Goodnow had spent time over the last several years traveling in New England, raising money for construction of both the church and Bluemont Central College. Pipher also referred to the debts held by the church and asked Goodnow how much he could contribute.